Ducatisti: do you want the good news or the bad news first? The bad news is that the market for motorcycles 500cc and up is down 17% worldwide for the first quarter of this year, which means the “good” news is that Ducati is only down 5% for Q1 2013. Not exactly the start out of the gate that Audi was hoping for its newly acquired two-wheeled brand, but what are you going to do? Western Europe is a mess, with Spain and Italy continuing to go down like a…well, you know. While we don’t enjoy the misery of motorcycle brands, the fact that Ducati Motor Holding is now under the Audi AG umbrella means that we get far more detailed quarterly and yearly reports from the two-wheeled marque, and we’ve got the digits after the jump.
Mission Motors tweeted out something interesting just a moment ago, a link to a new website for Mission Motorcycles. Teasing there a photo of the Mission R, it would seem that the electric superbike that does competitive AMA Supersport lap times at Laguna Seca, is finally set to come to production. It seems we won’t know everything about the new Mission Motorcycles project until June 3rd, though we can speculate pretty accurately on what the A&R Bothan spy network has been telling us. Expect to see the Mission R electric superbike in street legal trim, honed even further than when we rode the machine back in August last year.
Stefan Pierer’s acquisition of Husqvarna continues to baffle me. You will note I say Pierer, and not KTM, bought Husqvarna, since the Austrian CEO used Pierer Industrie AG in the transaction as a means to help side-step European antitrust issues. After all, we can’t have Europe’s largest dirt bike manufacturer, nay largest total motorcycle manufacturer, gobbling up even more brands in the two-wheeled world. But, I digress. Developing three road bikes (Husqvarna Nuda 900, Husqvarna Strada 650, & Husqvarna Terra 650), with three more concepts waiting in the wings (Husqvarna Moab, Husqvarna Baja, & Husqvarna E-G0), it is with even more confusion that we learn that Pierer & Co. intend to kill the Husqvarna Nuda project and its other street siblings.
In case you missed the story last week, Kevin Schwantz is preparing to race in this year’s Suzuka 8-Hour endurance race. For the race, Schwantz will be riding on a team formed by Yukio Kagayama, who in addition to having raced in the MotoGP, World Superbike, and British Superbike Championships, is also a previous Suzuka 8-Hour winner with the Suzuki Endurance Race Team (also joining the three-rider team Noriyuki “Nitro” Haga). Releasing a Q&A about his team’s Suzuka 8-Hour entry, Kagayama-san walks us through how the team came together, what equipment the riders will use, and his outlook on the team’s competitiveness.
A single-cylinder hooligan-maker, the KTM 690 Duke is 330 lbs (curbside without fuel) and 67hp of two-wheeled fun, and we hope that the Austrians bring the KTM 690 Duke R our way as well. While we are on the topic of things missing from KTM’s American line-up, a decent supersport is painfully obvious, yet we can’t see the folks at KTM following the paths of other brands. That’s where our friend Luca Bar comes to mind with his latest concept: the KTM RC4. Using the KTM 690 Duke platform and its LC4 engine, Bar has designed a super-single full-fairing sport bike that takes the Austrian company’s “Ready to Race” DNA and applies it to an idea that is not all that disimilar to the Ducati Supermono.
When I sat down with Claudio Domenicali at the Ducati 1199 Panigale R launch, the now-CEO of Ducati Motor Holding was still just the General Manager of the Italian motorcycle company. Four weeks after our interview though, Gabriele del Torchio would leave Ducati for Alitalia; and Domenicali, a 21-year veteran of both the racing and production departments of Ducati, would take his place at the top of Italy’s most prestigious motorcycle brand. After reading our interview from Austin, Texas after the jump, I think you will agree too.
That Yamaha is working on a seamless gearbox is no secret, with Yamaha’s test riders currently racking up the kilometers around tracks in Japan. Recently, however, Spanish magazine SoloMoto published an article suggesting that Yamaha has already been using its new seamless gearbox since the beginning of the season. My own enquiries to check whether Yamaha was using a seamless gearbox or not always received the same answer: no, Yamaha is not using the seamless gearbox. To test this denial, I went out to the side of the track on Friday morning at Jerez to record the bikes as they went by.
After a very public father/son break-up between Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Teutul Jr., a steroid-ring scandal involving Paul Sr., and finally a bankruptcy proceeding, it appears that Orange County Choppers is the impossible to kill multi-headed hydra of doom that we all knew it was, as the custom chopper shop is once again headed to the small screen and recruiting some talent, on and off the show. Looking for “someone who will work alongside Paul Senior, running the shop and helping build some of the best custom motorcycles in the world,” OCC says it will be back on television with a new show later this month. Please for the love of god, will someone give this man the attention he craves so dearly??! Or, just shoot us in the face.
We love us some concept bikes here at Asphalt & Rubber, and we have featured more than a few pieces of stunning design and imagination on our pages. Though, we can’t remember the last time one of these works of art were brought to us by a legitimate racing team, but that is what we have here with the Team Alstare Superbike Concept. A nod to the former Suzuki team’s return to the World Superbike Championship as the Ducati factory squad with Carlos Checa and Ayrton Badovini, Alstare has enlisted the help of designer Serge Rusak of Rusak Kreaktive Designworks to ink the shape of its futuristic Superbike concept, while Tryptik Studios handled the 3D modeling prowess.
If you didn’t watch Thursday’s pre-event press conference for MotoGP at Jerez, it is worth a viewing right to the end (assuming you have a MotoGP.com account). Building off the news about the NBA’s Jason Collins coming out as gay in a self-written feature in Sport Illustrated, my good colleague David Emmett had the courage to inquire about the culture and acceptance of the MotoGP paddock for homosexual riders. For the sake of accuracy, after the jump is a full transcript of David’s question, as put to riders Cal Crutchlow, Jorge Lorenzo, Marc Marquez, Andrea Dovizioso, Stefan Bradl, and Scott Redding, as well as those riders’ responses to David’s inquiry.
Didn’t Honda learn it’s lesson the first time they created the DN-01?
I kinda like CTX700N, but then again I am not planning to buy something like this. DN-01 was an over-priced experiment which fail miserably. Something like this could workout for new/women riders.
I kinda like the idea of boldly trying new things, but Honda seems to have the least talented designers in the business. I can’t think of another company that could come out with something THAT ugly and lame.
Affordable Diavel, don’t you think? Do you think marketing can convince the consumer it is a cruiser like Ducati did?
Ride Free
This is the reason (key) why Honda survive in two wheels business and even become one of the biggest in the world LOL
When my CB1100 gets here next month, I’m never going to let go of it.
Sometimes Honda hits a homerun. Other times I just scratch my head in disbelief.
ok..honda can you please develope bikes we really want and like…I mean you spend all this time on bikes like this and have done nothing to the 600 and 1000 except minor body work abs and BPF…I want a new litre bike now…..and not for 15 grand either damit
I don’t think that this bike is for existing motorcyclists. I think that Honda looked at the success that Harley has had selling its “‘Dark” series to hipsters
http://images.motorcycle-usa.com/PhotoGallerys/09_XL883_Iron_N_R.jpg
and they said “we want some of that.”
This bike also bears a striking resemblance to both the Harley V-Rod
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KJzNjXcppV4/ULByZ4v7f8I/AAAAAAAAAek/Peo6oiVjldk/s1600/harley-davidson-v-rod-06.jpg
and to the Ducati Diavel
http://media.emercedesbenz.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/Ducati-Diavel-AMG-2.jpg
Unfortunately, at least to my eyes, I can’t say that that’s a good thing.
My first reaction was, it’s a Diavel’s baby brother. My second reaction was, Duh!
The unfaired one looks better, but they both need to slim down in the tail, it’s just way too bulky visually back there. As for comparing it to a Diavel, I’m just not seeing it. The Diavel is an over the top muscle bike, whereas this is designed to be practical accessible, and dull.
utter waste of time & money, good job honda
You know what I think we have here? Honda’s latest attempt to build a Cub for the 21st century. Something that will tempt more people into motorcycling and bring novice riders to the brand. Something unintimidating, friendly, easy to ride, practical and economical. I give them credit for that but…
The styling, while unfortunate, is intentional. It’s supposed to look modern and retro all at once and, I would argue, a bit scooter-like (the DN01 certainly went too far and was even more confused) because scooters don’t scare the hell out of timid non-riders like sport bikes or giant cruisers do.
What I’m saying is that these things ain’t meant for us. Unfortunately, I’m not sure the people they’re meant for actually exist, or at least not in big enough numbers to make these things a success. This ain’t the ’60s, if you haven’t noticed. People are far more safety obsessed today and most would much rather sit in the back of a cab driven by a lunatic than have to dice in traffic with one. Anything on two wheels is just not on the radar for most.
Who knows? I’m sure they’ll sell a few, but I don’t know where Honda thinks it’ll find an army of “near-riders,” all waiting to be convinced by a smiling 500-lb., auto-trannied jelly bean.
To me, you’re either a rider or you’re not. And the very idea of motorcycles being a bit dangerous is one of the things that makes you one.
I think there’s more potential in getting some of these hipsters to stay with riding after the fad runs its course.
The local dealer parking lot is a desert on any given day. This is one example of why. Despite increased sales to women, that demographic mostly prefer to ride the pillion and hopefully the metrosexuals will stay on the Metro.
It does not matter what UK, US or Europe thinks about these bikes.
These are for the millions of developing country riders that one day will be moving up from 110-150cc scooter into middle sized bikes. Budget bigger rides for developing nations.
These riders are familiar with scooters and there is not the stigma of scooters being lesser rides.
It also costs no more to sell a few units into developed nations (usually at higher prices).
Why doesn’t Honda hire an italian designer ?? There bikes are always so pig ulgy that I wander who is buying them.
Good point about developing markets (such as India) and areas where there are very tough displacement limits on operator licenses. That said, I think this will be a sales disaster in the USA. Taking a very good 700cc “standard” and then outfitting it with forward foot controls and a midget-friendly seat on it is just a dumb idea. This is like a design lesson in how to screw up a good design. I see only one buyer group for this in the USA — women under 5’4″ of the tats and leather persuasion. How big is the stumpy Ds on
Bs demographic?
I don’t completely agree about the CTX being wholly for developing markets, although I’m sure they’re very important in the product plan.
Honda has been trying to come up with a product that gets more people on to two wheels–no matter where they are. Women are certainly a prime target. I find that smart and admirable but I don’t necessarily agree with the insight, or the interpretation of the insight, that led them here.
No doubt, the NC700 and this thing are worlds better than the DN-01; they’re still motorcycles while providing some of the ease and convenience of a scooter–and they’re relatively cheap. I’m just not sure that there are a lot of people on the fence about getting on two wheels, certainly in North America and Europe. For those that are inclined to do it, I’m not sure these bikes will be the impetus to take the plunge for many of them.
I don’t know what I’m looking at here, I kind of like the CTX700N but even then with its heavy tail I’m getting a heavy vibe of “this is what the shadow750 would be if it wasn’t retro” that make me prefer standard naked.
Then the faired CTX700. My first though, with its straight exhaust and fairing bit was “with a higher screen this would be a next-gen silverwing!” Remember the Silverwing from the ’80s? The goldwing’s little brother, a lightweight tourer (and not a sport-tourer)? The NC700 engine is probably quite good at handling long rides, this might be something great if they develop it for that demographic (and if there is a market for that).
A light-tourer and a modern cruiser, even though it doesn’t appeal the conservative motorcyclist we almost all are, given the right marketing they might have something.
Kudos to Honda for at least trying, BMW did the same a couple years back and we ended with some great bikes like the F800 series and I fondly remember the G650X Country I wish I had bought…
I like them, not that I am known for having good taste or anything. They look like mini-power-cruisers. I bet they look pretty good in person as opposed to a photo on a white background. Considering V-Strom 650′s are bought as long range touring bikes I bet the CTX700 will at least get a few looks, and the N model is the better looking one, or at least more photogenic.
I own an NC700x and I was antisipating the NC700 coming in Honda red and hoped they would offer ABS with a manual trans, but instead they went over the top and gave us this. While it is not a bike I would want, it hits the nail square becuase of price. Every person I know has to own two cars, at least in the maried family, so the desire for a bike is a craigslist bargan that has been neglected. I bet this bike will be a hit because of high mileage low maintence, low monthly payments, and reliability Honda. Watch for a standard 700, please. But then the CB500 trio is an ace in the hole for Honda also.
Maybe the Pacific Coast PC800 was just 25 years too early.
Honda could’ve saved a lot of development dollars and just re-released that bike.
I don’t get all the hate everyone is spewing over this bike, I’ve been riding for years and see no need for companies to make carbon copy Harley cruisers or stupidly big cubic inch motors for city driving. I personally would like to see more manufacturers take a break from the norm and do their own thing. I look forward to test riding one and seeing how it rides. Not everyone wants a huge cruiser or a race replica. Good job Honda for having the Balls to not copy everyone. If it rides good, I will most likely buy one.
I belong to a sizable and increasing demographic – aging motorcycle touring riders. I am in my late 60′s and age related changes have taken away some things. I can’t see not riding, but my current ride is an old GL1200 that has just gotten too big for me. I want something smaller and lighter but with good touring capability and a straight up riding position. So far I have not found anything that fits the bill.
This could be just the ticket for those of us that need to downsize our ride but don’t want to give up too much of the comfort and carrying capacity of a full dresser. The only negative I see on this model is the tiny gas tank – 3.17 gallons? Really? What were they thinking? Well, Iin the 70′s I toured on a 750 with a 2.8 gal tank so I gues I can make do.
I have been waiting for such a long time for a bike like this.
I will be the first to buy this. Same when automatic cars where developed. How many Automatic car do you see on the roads now versus standard?
I wonder why there are so much negative comments here.